Ezekiel 37:1-14; John 11: 1-45 Rev. Tiare L. Mathison, Pastor & Soul-Tender
DISAPPOINTED, FAITHFUL, PRACTICAL: MARTHA’S STORY
JOHN 11.1-45 (+46-53?) EZEKIEL 37. 1-14
REV. TIARE L. MATHISON, PASTOR & SOUL-TENDER
Listen for the Word of God for you today, John’s gospel chapter 11.
I love Martha. She is honest in her feelings. Her first emotion? Disappointment - if only you had been here. Lazarus would not be dead. Those dry bones would live. Yet, she stays in conversation with Jesus, renders her theological opinion about the end times resurrection when the Messiah comes and then listens carefully to Jesus’ claim.
“I AM. THESE AMAZING WORDS THAT BEGAN WITH GOD AND MOSES TALKING IN EXODUS, 1200 years before, AFTER MOSES QUEUES GOD, ‘WHO SHALL I SAY SENT ME?’ TELL THEM ‘I AM’.
HERE JESUS MAKES THIS BODACIOUS CLAIM: THIS BODY, THIS PERSON, THIS ONE STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU? I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE.
DO YOU BELIEVE THIS? DO YOU BELIEVE DRY BONES CAN LIVE AGAIN? Do you believe that even if you die, you will live, forever? Stop for a moment. You are Martha. How will you answer? (Pause)
Martha, in faith, replies, “Yes, Lord. I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God, The One coming into the world.”
"Can these bones live?" Ezekiel goes on the graveyard tour, in silence mind you, and then the provocative ? "Can these bones live?" No marrow, no animating blood, no breath, no Ruah, spirit, only death. Not a singular body, rather the nation of Israel. Will we ever be able to hope again? It is this deep need for deliverances, believers cling to--bones, breath, hope. Early Christians insist there could be no resurrection without a body.
The test comes of course as they are hacked to death; fed to lions, crucified by the Roman Empire. Could there be a point where the body is so mangled as to be un-recognized, even by God? Does God have the power to reassemble the particles, just as He made Adam and Eve from the dust of the ground?
Talk to anyone who is dying of cancer and they will tell you of their great hope for a new body, not ravaged by disease or treatment. Can these bones live? Ezekiel counted on it. So did ancient Israel. Death and destruction by sin, by empire, by famine, by war, by pandemic. Martha did too, so does Mary. Do we?
From the very beginning of John’s gospel, the cosmic battle--the judgment of this world-- is at hand. The crucifixion of Jesus is not for the forgiveness of individual sins, according to John. It is not substitutionary atonement, where Jesus takes the punishment for us. Rather, Jesus’ murder judges the world and its systems, as the last scapegoat. All that in the fallen realm is in opposition to God’s love and purpose for the whole of creation. Remember Eden? Eden. The place where humans love with intimacy and freedom, one another, all creatures, the ground, the mountains, the water, the trees, the breath of life itself. Graced by God. Eden, the opposite of systems of oppressions. It is this woven connection of structures and institutions that keep humans captive by demands of obedience through domination, violence and death. Remember, crucifixions are always done in public.
Jesus recognizes, as He calls Lazarus out of the grave, He signs His own death warrant. John tells us so in the next 5 verses left off the lectionary: “what are we to do? This man is doing many signs and if we let him continue everyone will believe in him and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation. So from that day on they planned to put him to death. John 11:46-53
Martha, again, speaks, in her very practical way: “Lord, the stench! He’s been in there 4 days.” Implied is Jesus is one day late—ancient folk believed the soul lingers after death for 3 days and then dissipates. Jesus says, hold on, here comes the glory. As deep anguish and grief collide with profound faith, the gathered community waits at the tomb.
“Come out Lazarus!” He does, still bound. It is the community that unbinds him. He is brought to life to live, for now, with the love from his sisters. A resurrected community.
Can these dry bones live? Can we be a community that nurtures resurrection? Can we be known as unbinders? We get to do it like Martha—disappointment, faith, practical, all mixed up together. We get to reach out to touch another’s bindings and say, “here you go, let me help you.” In this season of pandemic, we get to use our X-ray eyes of love and say thanks be to God for the scattered community. Amen
Now, the musical choice. Nicole C. Mullen has been a favorite of mine for a decade, particularly this song. I Know My Redeemer Lives comes straight out of Job, but it seems to fit so well with Martha standing before Lazarus’s tomb after he is revived. Listen carefully, God has a word for you today:)